CENIC proudly supports California students and educators to build California’s future

A reliable high-speed internet connection can be as critical for schools as traditional classroom supplies. After all, it is the gateway between a learning institution’s walls and the world of information outside them.

School districts and education departments throughout California partner with CENIC to deliver fast, reliable, and secure services to schools and students.

CENIC works with over 1,000 school districts across California. Whether you want to build it yourself or have us do it for you, we can connect you so your students and educators can do what they do best—prepare for the future.

California Schools in Action with CENIC

California’s K–12 system encompasses millions of students, from pre-schoolers to young adults, all with varying needs, interests, and talents. Nearly a fifth of California students are English language learners, and almost two-thirds of all students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The K–12 system’s dedicated educators and administrators work daily to help them all become future leaders, scholars, and entrepreneurs.

To meet these needs and more, CENIC is contracted by the K12 High Speed Network (K12HSN) to provide future-facing networking and services via CENIC’s California Research and Education Network (CalREN), specially designed by and for the state’s research and education community. Thanks to this two-decade relationship, 100% of county offices of education, 89% of school districts, 81% of schools, and over 5.8 million students enjoy the benefits of world-class connectivity, network services, and support.

These benefits include substantial cost savings since 80% of data traffic remains on CalREN and does not transit the Internet, where it would be charged by the bit. To forestall cyberattacks, K12HSN also contracts with CENIC to provide its schools with an integrated DDoS Mitigation Service (DMS) that is far more responsive and cost-effective than those available from commercial providers, with access to our NOC 24 hours every day of the year.

Direct access to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) testing servers is another critical benefit provided by CENIC, particularly as CENIC was critical in designing and implementing a technical solution that provided this access. This ensures that half a million California students at a time can take online tests without experiencing the technical challenges common to students in most other states.

To address inadequate connectivity for online testing, the California state legislature created and funded the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant (BIIG) program in 2014. BIIG delivered broadband services to more than 430 sites statewide. BIIG was followed by the Broadband Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program, which began in 2019. Through the BIG program, CENIC has connected 48 school sites, providing 1 Gbps connectivity to thousands of students, teachers, and staff in 17 counties. As it progresses, the BIG program aims to expand across California and continue to support teaching and learning throughout the state.

CENIC partners with national and international research and education networks, governmental networks, and commercial networks to expand access, working to support broad public access to the educational, research, and cultural assets that position California for a prosperous future.